September 1st, 2010, Fairfax, VA—Senator Ron Wyden wants to exempt Oregon from ObamaCare’s individual mandate, prompting condemnation from Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson, who said “Not even one of the principal authors of ObamaCare, Senator Wyden, likes the individual mandate for his state.”

“Nobody should be compelled by the government to purchase health insurance, not just Oregon,” Wilson declared.

As reported by the Huffington Post, “[Wyden] strongly suggested that the state should use the provision to exempt Oregon from the individual mandate, which would penalize those individuals who refuse to purchase insurance coverage. The mandate was a feature of Wyden’s own health care bill but has proved to be remarkably unpopular among voters.”

“This is an insult to millions of Americans who don’t want the unconstitutional individual mandate either,” Wilson said. “Senator Wyden is okay with throwing the rest of us into this system, while letting his own state off the hook.”

“Instead of trying to get an underhanded carve out for Oregon from the ObamaCare individual mandate to purchase insurance, why doesn’t Senator Wyden propose to repeal the controversial provision?” Wilson asked.

Nearly half of all states, including Virginia, have sued against the individual mandate, questioning the constitutionality of forcing people to purchase health care or to take a government plan.

According to the Virginia brief, the government takeover of health care “contains an individual mandate which will require a majority of Virginians after December 31, 2013 to purchase health insurance for themselves and their dependents subject to a civil penalty.” This contradicts Virginia law, which states that “No resident of this Commonwealth, regardless of whether he has or is eligible for health insurance coverage under any policy or program provided by or through his employer, or a plan sponsored by the Commonwealth or the federal government, shall be required to obtain or maintain a policy of individual insurance coverage…”

Wilson concluded, “Senator Wyden, instead of joining other states like Virginia in fighting the individual mandate, is fighting for his own personal political interests to let Oregon off the hook. All Americans should be protected from such government overreaches, not just Oregon.”

Interview Availability:Please contact Rebekah Rast at (703) 383-0880 or at rrast@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.

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